Legally reinstall the original windows
2014-07
flybywire
After a brief flirt with Linux, I want to install the original Windows in my laptop. But I discovered my linux install totally deleted the partition where the factory windows image was stored.
I can I legally install Windows with my Laptop's license key?
Django Reinhardt
Yes, it should be absolutely fine to install the copy of Windows that came with your laptop. Go for it!
fred
Or, do the also legal thing, download an OEM ISO for the windows version your laptop came with (in my case a dell XP Pro) and use the key on the bottom of your laptop.
Completely legal, as you have the key and you are using the source media to restore your devices factory state.
When I had to do this I contacted both Microsoft and dell, they didn't like the fact I'd already downloaded the ISO, but said there was no legal issue using it since I would be using a valid key for it.
Hope this helps.
Eric U.
Call the manufacturer that you acquired the laptop from and they should send you a disc if the laptop came preinstalled.
I've done this with a dell laptop that I owned. Took awhile to get the disc tho (couple of weeks)
Michael Kohne
Check the answers to this ServerFault question.
TheLQ
In short, yes you can because you have a legal key. In reality, when you buy big software like Windows you are buying not the disk but the license key to use said disk.
Might I suggest the links here? I've used them on 6 machines now and they work perfectly.
Roalt
Last year I bought a laptop that included Windows Vista Home Premium, OEM version. As I bought it for my linux work and am not fond of Vista, I would like to replace it by Windows XP or make a Virtual machine that runs XP.
Is it possible to legally downgrade my Vista version to XP without paying for an extra XP licence? There is some text in the Vista license about downgrading but I cannot understand it.
Can I just use my Vista license number for XP?
I'm talking here about how to do this in a legal way, not technically. I do not care for the data that's now on my system, I just as well would like to do a clean reinstall.
(I do not like Vista because of the strict administrator policies and the memory overhead, but that's not what this question is about.)
Goran Peroš
According to official Microsoft document from http://download.microsoft.com/download/5/f/4/5f4c83d3-833e-4f11-8cbd-699b0c164182/royaltyoemreferencesheet.pdf
The OEM vesions of Windows Vista Business and Windows Vista Ultimate include downgrade rights to Microsoft Windows XP Professional, Microsoft Windows XP Professional x64 Edition, and Microsoft Windows XP Tablet PC Edition. Customers may not downgrade to Windows 2000 Professional from Windows Vista Business or Windows Vista Ultimate. No downgrade rights are included in other Windows Vista products in the OEM channel
Translation: Legally you can downgrade OEM versions Vista Business and Vista Ultimate. Other version cannot be legally downgraded.
David Hayes
First an answer I don't believe it's possible for consumers to downgrade a license from Vista Home Premium to XP
There is some info here http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9040318/FAQ_Giving_up_on_Vista_Here_s_how_to_downgrade_to_XP You'd obviously need to perform a clean install to do this.
Next a comment
Vista isn't crap, it's much better than XP. It had a bad run on release due to hardware manufacturers failing to write half decent drivers.
And some advice
Personally I'd buy a Windows 7 Upgrade license for $50 rather than stepping back 8 years to XP if you really can't stand Vista
whs
Before you even think about going with XP, check whether you can find ALL XP drivers for your PC. Chances are you don't and then the project is dead in the water anyhow. And as was said earlier, who wants to wrestle with an 8 year old OS these days. Follow the advice and get Windows7.
Jay Atkinson
I think the only way you can downgrade an existing Vista to XP is to install XP over it. They're completely different operating systems under the hood.
amarcy
It is possible to get rid of Vista and go to XP.
If you have a license for XP, creating a Virtual Machine is the easiest way to go. You can get Virtual PC for a free solution, or preferably get VMWare Workstation and go that route. This way you won't have to mess with backing stuff op on your Vista machine.
If you have no need for Vista then you will basically have to start from scratch by installing XP as a clean install over the Vista partition. Be sure to back up anything pertinent first. It is similar to installing XP normally, you just need to format the Vista partition first.
If you decide to go that route here is a link describing how to do it:
http://windowssecrets.com/2009/03/12/01-Downgrade-Vista-to-XP-in-seven-easy-steps